Direct electrical detection of current-induced spin polarization due to spin-momentum locking in topological insulators

ABSTRACT

A device for directly electrically generating and detecting the current-generated spin polarization in topological insulators, comprising a first and fourth contact on a layer of Bi 2 Se 3  and a second contact comprising a ferromagnet/oxide tunnel barrier contact as a detector, and a third contact comprising nonmagnetic metal as a reference contact, a current to the first and fourth contact to produce a net spin polarization, and the spin polarization manifesting as a voltage between the second (magnetic) and third (reference) contacts.

This application claims priority to and the benefits of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/934,240 filed on Nov. 6, 2015 and U.S. PatentApplication No. 62/089,950 filed on Dec. 10, 2014, the entirety of eachis herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

Topological insulators (TI) form a new quantum phase of solid statematter distinct from the classic dichotomy of metals and insulators.Although the bulk is nominally insulating (forms a band gap), the twodimensional surface bands form a Dirac cone populated by masslessfermions. These surface states are topologically protected againstdisorder scattering and are spin-polarized. Hence TIs are expected toproduce new functionalities for a wide range of applications such as lowpower electronics (owing to dissipationless transport), spintronics(utilizing spin-polarized current), and quantum information technology.

One of the unique and most striking properties is that of spin-momentumlocking—the spin of the surface state is locked at right angle to thecarrier momentum. This characteristic has been probed by photoemissionmeasurements on cleaved samples in ultra high vacuum.

In principal, inducing a net carrier momentum (by applying a biascurrent, for example) spontaneously generates a net spin polarization.

However, attempts at accessing the spin-momentum locking of the surfacestates by electrical means, i.e., generating such spin polarization anddirectly sampling the current-induced spin polarization, have not beensuccessful, and these effects have not been demonstrated outside of ourwork reported here.

This in large part is due to the fact that the bulk is typically heavilydoped, and therefore provides a parallel conduction path, which shortcircuits transport in the surface states and overwhelms any signaloriginating from the surface states.

Here, by utilizing a ferromagnet/tunnel barrier contact that isintrinsically sensitive to surface/interface spins, demonstrated for thefirst time is that one can directly generate a net spin accumulationwith a simple bias current, and directly detect the current-induced spinpolarization of the surface spin due to spin-momentum locking, where itsprojection onto the detector contact magnetization manifest as avoltage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention demonstrates a method to directly electrically generatespin polarization due to spin-momentum locking of the topologicallyprotected surface states in topological insulators (TI), and directlyelectrically detect this spin accumulation, thereby enabling utilizationof the spin polarized surface states for spintronic/electronicapplications.

Here we create a net spin polarization by applying an unpolarized biascurrent, and utilize a ferromagnetic thin film surface contact to detectthis spin polarization. The magnetization of the contact determines thespin detection axis, and the projection of the TI spin polarization ontothis axis is detected electrically as a voltage. The invention hasapplications in low power electronics, spintronics that utilizespin-polarized currents, as well as quantum information technology. Weuse thin films of the topological insulator Bi₂Se₃ to demonstrate theefficacy of the approach.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is an STM image of Bi₂Se₃ surface morphology. FIG. 1B is atunneling spectroscopy image showing the position of the Dirac point.FIG. 1C illustrates the temperature dependent resistance of 11 and 23 nmfilms.

FIG. 2 illustrates anisotropic magnetoresistance measurements of the Feand Co contacts showing their switching behavior.

FIG. 3 illustrates sample structure and measurement geometry.

FIG. 4 illustrates TI spin polarization detected as a voltage withFe/Al₂O₃ collinear contacts.

FIG. 5 illustrates improvement of signal quality with measurementgeometry with adjacent nonmagnetic reference contact.

FIG. 6 illustrates TI spin polarization detected as a voltage withCo/MgO/graphene contacts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This invention demonstrates a method to directly electrically generatespin polarization due to spin-momentum locking of the topologicallyprotected surface states in topological insulators (TI), and directlyelectrically detect this spin accumulation, thereby enabling utilizationof the spin polarized surface states for spintronic/electronicapplications.

Here a net spin polarization is created by applying an unpolarized biascurrent, and a ferromagnetic thin film surface contact is utilized todetect this spin polarization.

The magnetization of the contact determines the spin detection axis, andthe projection of the TI spin polarization onto this axis is detectedelectrically as a voltage.

The invention has applications in low power electronics, spintronicsthat utilize spin-polarized currents, as well as quantum informationtechnology.

Thin films of the topological insulator Bi₂Se₃ are used to demonstratethe efficacy of the approach.

Here, by utilizing a ferromagnet/tunnel barrier contact that isintrinsically sensitive to surface/interface spins, demonstrated for thefirst time is that one can directly generate a net spin accumulationwith a simple bias current, and directly detect the current-induced spinpolarization of the surface spin due to spin-momentum locking, where itsprojection onto the detector contact magnetization manifest as avoltage.

Examples of TI materials include Bi_(1-x)Sb_(x), Bi₂Se₃, Bi₂Te₃ andSb₂Te₃. Bi₂Se₃ is regarded as a model TI—it exhibits a single Dirac coneand the largest band gap (˜0.3 eV) of known TIs, and its topologicalsurface states have been shown to persist to at least room temperature,insensitive to magnetic and nonmagnetic surface adsorbates, and stableeven in air exposed samples. Such robustness is essential for therealization of future device structures based on the interplay of spintransport, ferromagnetism and spin-momentum locking.

This invention demonstrates a method to directly electrically generatespin polarization, due to a novel effect of spin-momentum locking of thetopologically protected surface states, in topological insulators (TI),and to directly electrically detect this spin accumulation. Here wecreate a net spin polarization by applying a current, and utilize aferromagnetic/tunnel barrier thin film surface contact to detect thisspin polarization.

Example 1

Briefly, single-crystalline Bi₂Se₃ thin films are grown by molecularbeam epitaxy (MBE). The ferromagnet/oxide tunnel barrier contacts arethen grown on top of the Bi₂Se₃ in separate deposition systems. Thesamples are then patterned into electrically addressable teststructures.

In situ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) imaging and tunnelingmicroscopy is used to monitor surface morphology and electronicstructure and ensure optimal layer-by-layer spiral growth (FIG. 1)during MBE and film quality (before ferromagnetic/oxide tunnel barriergrowth). The as-grown Bi₂Se₃ film exhibits a Dirac point (ED) 250 meVbelow the Fermi level in tunneling spectra, indicating n-type dopingtypically seen in MBE grown materials due to Se vacancies. The as-grownfilms exhibit n 10¹⁹/cm³ electron doping, with the Fermi level wellwithin the bulk conduction band, as evident from the metal-liketemperature dependent resistance (FIG. 1).

Example 2

Deposition of Ferromagnet (FM)/Tunnel Barrier Contact

Two types of FM/tunnel barrier detector contacts are demonstrated asspin sensitive probes. Such contacts have successfully enabledelectrical detection of spin current and accumulation in bothsemiconductors and metals.

Fe/Al₂O₃ contacts are deposited on air-exposed Bi₂Se₃ surface in aseparate MBE system as follows. A 0.7 nm layer of polycrystalline Al wasfirst deposited by MBE, and then oxidized in 200 Torr O₂ for 20 min inthe presence of UV light in the load-lock chamber. This step was thenrepeated for a total Al₂O₃ thickness of 2 nm. The sample was thentransferred under ultra high vacuum to an interconnected metals MBEchamber, where 20 nm of polycrystalline Fe was deposited at roomtemperature from a Knudsen cell.

The oxide tunnel barrier is essential to prevent potential directmagnetic exchange with the TI surface states, interdiffusion between TIand FM which may result in undesirable alloy formation and spinscattering, and to enable preferential sampling of the TI surface stateat the oxide/TI interface rather than the bulk.

Co/MgO/graphene contacts are fabricated by first transferring a singlegraphene layer grown by chemical vapor deposition onto an air-exposedBi₂Se₃ surface, and then patterned so that it was only underneath thedetector contacts. We have previously shown that single layer grapheneforms an effective tunnel barrier on both metal and semiconductorsurfaces which prevents oxidation and interdiffusion.

A 2 nm MgO film was then deposited by electron beam evaporationfollowing the deposition of 0.1 nm Ti seed layer. A 15 nm Co layer isimmediately deposited in the same evaporation system without breakingvacuum.

The magnetic characteristics of the FM contacts are determined fromanisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) measurements (FIG. 2) in a twoterminal geometry where current flows through the FM material. Thecharacteristic AMR signal indicates a switching field of 62±5 and 150±5Oe for the Fe and Co contacts at 10 K, respectively, with a broader peakfor the Co indicating a broader field range for the contactmagnetization reversal.

Example 3

Sample Fabrication

The samples were processed into the device structures illustrated inFIG. 3 to enable transport measurements. Standard photolithography andchemical etching methods were used to define the Fe contacts, whichranged in size from 10×10 μm² to 80×80 μm², with adjacent contactseparation ranging from 45 to 200 μm. Ion milling was used to patternthe Bi₂Se₃ mesa.

Large Ti/Au contacts were deposited by lift-off in an electron beamevaporator as non-magnetic reference contacts and bias current leads.The Fe contacts were capped with 10 nm Ti/100 nm Au, and bond pads forwire bonded electrical connections are electrically isolated from the Siusing 100 nm of Si₃N₄.

Example 4

Measurement Geometry.

The device structures are shown in FIG. 3, where two different types ofmeasurement geometries are employed. The first (left panel) consist of aco-linear series of ferromagnetic detector and non-magnetic Au/Tireference contacts. The second type (right panel) features adjacent rowsof magnetic and non-magnetic (reference) detector contacts, where theplacement of the non-magnetic contact immediately adjacent to the FMdetector as the voltage reference to directly subtractnon-magnetization-dependent background contributions results in asubstantial improvement to signal quality and reduction in thebackground voltage.

Example 5

Confirmation of Electrical Detection of Spin-Momentum Locking.

As shown in the contact layout in FIG. 3 (left panel), a fixed currentis applied between two contacts on either side of and co-linear with thedetector, and the voltage at the detector is recorded as a function ofan in-plane magnetic field applied orthogonal to the current directionin the TI. No current flows through the detector contact. Electrons flowfrom left to right along the +x axis for a negative current, and apositive magnetic field points in either +x or +y direction.

When the field is orthogonal to the current direction, the detectorcontact magnetization is switched to be either parallel or anti-parallelto the current-induced spin in the TI surface, and the detector voltageexhibits clear hysteretic behavior (FIG. 4). The relative orientation ofelectron current (e), induced TI spin polarization (s), and contactmagnetization (M) are shown by the insets. At large positive fields, themagnetization is parallel to the TI surface state spin polarization, anda constant negative voltage is measured as the field decreases to zero.As the field changes to small negative values, an abrupt increase in thedetector voltage is observed at the coercive field (−65 Oe) of thedetector, i.e. when the detector magnetization reverses to beanti-parallel with the TI surface state spin. When the field sweepdirection is reversed, the behavior reverses where distinct voltages aremeasured when the detector magnetization is parallel or anti-parallel tothe current-induced spin orientation.

When the direction of the bias current is reversed, the orientation ofthe TI spin is also reversed, and the field dependence of the FMdetector voltage flips about the zero voltage axis (FIG. 4). The voltageon a non-magnetic detector exhibits no such step-like behavior.

Example 6

Improved Signal Quality with Adjacent Reference Contact Placement.

FIG. 5 shows a second set of devices with Fe/Al₂O₃ tunnel barriercontacts on an 11 nm Bi₂Se₃ epilayer on a sapphire substrate using anadjacent nonmagnetic reference contact (FIG. 3 right panel). Asubstantial improvement to the signal quality is seen with reduction inthe background voltage.

Example 7

Further Confirmation with Different FM/Tunnel Barrier Contact.

A third set of devices were fabricated with Co/MgO/graphene tunnelcontacts on 25 nm Bi₂Se₃ using the geometry utilizing adjacent referencecontacts (FIG. 3 right panel). A similar behavior is observed in themagnetic field dependence of the Co detector voltage (FIG. 5),demonstrating that the spin-voltage behaviors measured are reproducedwith a completely different detector. The larger coercive field of theCo and the slower reversal and saturation of the magnetization isreflected in the width of the hysteretic loop observed in the detectorvoltage.

Also evident is when the magnetic field is applied along the biascurrent direction, where the contact magnetization is orthogonal to thecurrent-induced spin orientation. A zero signal is expected, as observedat large (positive and negative) magnetic fields. However at smallerfield as the contact magnetization is switched, a small peak in thedetector voltage is observed.

The sign of voltage signal [V(M)-V(−M)] was further verified to beconsistent with that of spin-momentum locking and not of other originssuch as that from Rashba spin-split states, bases on qualitativeanalysis of the data using a theoretical model.

The surface states of topological insulators exhibit exotic propertiessuch as dissipationless transport and spin-momentum locking that do notexist in any other materials, and are expected to provide newfunctionalities for applications such as low power electronics,spintronics, and quantum information processing.

Direct electrical access to these surface states spin system isessential to the realization of these potential applications. However,parallel conduction through the bulk often overwhelms the signatures oftransport through the surface states.

Here, using a ferromagnet/tunnel barrier contact we preferentially probethe surface spins and circumvent the issue of parallel bulk conductionplagued by other transport approaches.

This route demonstrates the first direct electrical generation of spinpolarization due to spin-momentum locking in these topologicallyprotected TI surface states, and direct electrical detection of thisspin accumulation, thereby enabling utilization of the spin polarizedsurface states for spintronic/electronic applications.

Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possiblein light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood thatthe claimed invention may be practiced otherwise than as specificallydescribed. Any reference to claim elements in the singular, e.g., usingthe articles “a,” “an,” “the,” or “said” is not construed as limitingthe element to the singular.

What we claim is:
 1. A device for directly electrically generating anddetecting the current-generated spin polarization in topologicalinsulators, comprising: a first contact and fourth contact on a layer ofBi₂Se₃; a second contact comprising a ferromagnet/oxide tunnel barriercontact on a layer of Bi₂Se₃; wherein the ferromagnet/oxide tunnelbarrier comprises a layer of Co and a layer of MgO on top of a layer ofgraphene; wherein the second contact is a detector; a third contact onthe layer of Bi₂Se₃; wherein the third contact is a reference; whereinthe device is configured to have current flow from the first to thefourth contact resulting in a net spin polarization wherein the spinpolarization manifests as a voltage between the second and the thirdcontact.
 2. The device for directly electrically generating anddetecting the current-generated spin polarization in topologicalinsulators of claim 1 wherein the current is an unpolarized biascurrent.
 3. A device for directly electrically detectingcurrent-generated spin polarization in topological insulators,comprising: a first contact and fourth contact on a layer of Bi₂Se₃ toproduce a spin; a second magnetic contact comprising a ferromagnet/oxidetunnel barrier contact as a detector; wherein the ferromagnet/oxidetunnel barrier comprises a layer of Co and a layer of MgO on top of alayer of graphene; a third reference contact comprising nonmagneticmetal as the reference contact; a current to the first contact andfourth contact to produce a net spin polarization; and the spinpolarization manifesting as a voltage between the second magneticcontact and third reference contact.
 4. The device for directlyelectrically detecting current-generated spin polarization intopological insulators of claim 3 wherein the current is an unpolarizedbias current.
 5. The device for directly electrically detectingcurrent-generated spin polarization in topological insulators of claim 3wherein the spin polarization due to spin-momentum locking is based on aprojection of the spin polarization onto the magnetization axis of thesecond contact manifested as the voltage.
 6. A method for directelectrical access to current-induced spin polarization due tospin-momentum locking of the topologically protected surface states intopological insulators comprising: depositing a first contact, secondcontact, and third contact wherein the second contact comprises aferromagnet/oxide tunnel barrier contact and wherein the third contactcomprises a nonmagnetic metal contact; wherein the ferromagnet/oxidetunnel barrier comprises a layer of Co and a layer of MgO on top of alayer of graphene; applying an unpolarized bias current; creating a netspin polarization; creating a spin accumulation; creating spin polarizedcurrent flowing through surface states; detecting directly electricallythe spin accumulation; utilizing the second contact to detect the spinpolarization; wherein the second contact is magnetized and wherein themagnetization of the contact determines the spin detection axis;detecting electrically as a voltage a projection of the topologicalinsulator spin polarization onto the spin detection axis; and utilizingthe spin polarized surface states for spintronic/electronicapplications.